In a chilling turn of events, the heart of horse racing skipped a beat this weekend as freezing temperatures brought the sport to a standstill across Britain and Ireland. Icy conditions forced officials to abandon Saturday’s much-anticipated meetings at Sandown Park and Wincanton racecourses, leaving punters and horses out in the cold.
A Frosty Reception for Racing Fans
The big freeze began on Friday night, with temperatures plummeting to -4°C in some areas. By daybreak, clerk of the course Andrew Cooper had no choice but to call off Sandown’s star-studded card following an early morning inspection. Despite the track’s best efforts, the unrelenting chill left parts of the course frozen solid.
With temperatures at -2°C from midnight until inspection time and not expected to be above freezing until 11am, an early decision was able to be made with the course frozen in places.
Wincanton Catches a Cold
A similar fate befell Wincanton over in Somerset, where officials were forced to abandon their Saturday meeting after temperatures plunged to -4°C overnight. An initial inspection had been penciled in for the morning, but it soon became clear that the bone-chilling conditions had left the track unfit for racing.
- Newcastle, too, felt the icy grip of winter, with its scheduled jumps card falling victim to the big chill as early as Friday.
- Across the Irish Sea, Cork racecourse found itself out in the cold, ensuring a total wipeout of Saturday’s National Hunt action on both sides of the pond.
Southwell and Wolverhampton Weather the Storm
In the midst of this winter whiteout, only the all-weather tracks at Southwell and Wolverhampton managed to keep the racing flame alive. But even they couldn’t escape the chill entirely, with estimated start times pushed back to 2:47 pm and 4:20 pm respectively as they waited for temperatures to inch above freezing.
The BHA understands the significance of ensuring that there is live racing on free-to-air television on Saturday afternoons and works hard to ensure this is the case, and will continue to do so in future.
British Horseracing Authority spokesperson
Feature Races Left Out in the Cold
The cold snap dealt a particularly bitter blow to Sandown Park, with its showcase Veterans’ Handicap Chase Series Final left in limbo. The three-mile test was set to pit seasoned chasers like Copperhead and Chambard against each other in a captivating contest of experience and endurance.
With no respite from the icy chill in sight, officials are now scrambling to find a new slot in the calendar for this prestige event. But as the old racing adage goes, time and temperature wait for no horse.
The Toll of a Turf Freeze
Sandown clerk of the course Andrew Cooper inspects the frozen track ahead of today's abandoned meeting… 🥶❄️
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) January 2, 2021
🎥 @Sandownpark pic.twitter.com/He3maO0X5L
For jockeys, trainers, and owners, the mass cancellations come as a major blow after weeks of meticulous preparation. But in this game of fine margins, where the going is always at the mercy of the elements, it’s a frustrating reality they’ve grown all too accustomed to.
The freezing temperatures have certainly left British and Irish racing in a precarious position this weekend. But as the icy grip of winter tightens, the sport’s passionate community knows that warmer days and faster ground lie just around the bend. The greatest certainty in racing? The seasons always turn, and the show must go on.
